Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 170 — page 7: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

! | wre ee ee «= © ate . ee oe ee He a ew ee ee CHAPTER VL. A MORNING AT THE GOLDEN LION, “THERE'S been the very hounds to pay, last night,” remarked Joe Jonquil, as he rested easi- ly cgaiust a pillar of the Golden Lion porch. 5 ie . a8 not much given to wasting his muscular } o°.er in hard work, so that the roadside inn iw plenty of his com pany. “iu glar highwayism,” he continued. ‘The we © 3 chap as left here last night was ambushed i: *Tbornton woods, and had a mighty nar- soy 4) 4c9k for it.” | : hal’s cobbler’s news, Joe,” replied old Sol, co «inuptuously. ‘‘Haven’t you any thing a.¢>. ¢ in your bag?” * . ou bet I have,” Joe Leese a yee” 5 r nd- ol. **Dhe wedding as was to come off at Dover \.es broke up in the queerest way goin’. The i cpvicman was arrested for burglary, or mur- c.¥, or some sich business, afore they got the iL.not quite tied; and the poor little critter of a ; al is a’most pegged cut in consequence. They say siie’s been atmusin’ berself with fainting ever Since ‘*T can beat you on that bit of news,” replied old Sol. “ There weren’t no arrest. But he got a whisper in his ear, and they say he went down as if he’d been clipped by a bullet. Jist fainted dead out like a woman ora baby. But the queer part of the business is that the chap that whispered him was the identical individual who was here last night; the fellow that was too high-strung to drink hot punch;” and the land- lord fiiished with a sniff of contempt. ‘Lie blazes you say!” exclaimed Bill Blaker, old Soi’s third crony of the previous night, who was belping Joe in the laborious duty of post- proppts g. ** Jest as sure as you live,” continued the host. *Woat was it you know’d about that chap, Bil, ws made you let out so mysterious-like, last nip ht? ‘No good, just you take that in,” replied Dill, with a dubious shake of the head. *[ won’t take nothin’ in, ’cept you’re goin’ to let more of the cat out of the bag,” and old So! s:\velled with offended dignity. 31 1, beforereplying, looked cautiously around, wi b lis finger warningly upon bis lips. Seeing thal no dangerous ears were present he con- tinted his revelation. **Dowt blow it, fer it’s no business of mine; only 1 reckernized that cove, at sight, for a State prison bird. I see’d him with my own eyes, iu a Moyamensing cell, inside of a year. Now | leave it to the pair of ye if it ain’t a queer job Pi an old convict is in the arresting busi- ness ‘There was a grave shaking of heads, but old Sol as gravely filled and lit his pipe before ven- turiny to reply: When he had taken two or tires long puffs, his eyes rolling and winking with deep meaning, he replied with a gravity worthy of the occasion: “«'There’s more things a-going on in this world than folks would hoo ee and ye can’t, now- adays, allers tell a bird by the feathers he wears. it’s a mighty good rule, when things looks queer, to shut your eyes and keep a still tongue. That way you don’t run no risk of making a fool of yourself,” With which wise saying old Sol puffed again econtentedly at his a his eyes twinkling as if he felt he had got off a ve three “ And, by Jericho, yonder comes the sleigh back!” exclaimed Joe, ‘‘and not half as fast as it went out.” He was right; the sleigh with its four horses, had just turned a corner of the road, and ye approaching the inn, at a slow trot. But we had best go back a step in our story, and trace the experience of the sleighing party, whom we left in their rapid descent down the bill slope. Will Wildfire, agile as a cat, lit on his feet at the bottom, bringing a bed of snow with him sufficient to break his fall. The others were not qnite so lucky. Pierce Browning, the giant, iad rolled down the snow-bank, carrying down a perfect avalanche, and lay at the bottom buried under six feet of his chilling counter- ne. Py A for Ben Huntly, he had been flung clear of the hill, landing in a Geet drift at the bottom, from which now only his bead and feet emerged, the rest of his bod béing lost to sight. — As soon as Wil could move for laughing, he save Ben his hand, and helped him to rise from bis fleecy bed. . ‘* What in the blazes has become of Pierce?” he asked, as soon as be had regained his feet. ‘‘Has he gone clear through, and come out somewhere in China?’ A Trump Card. He was answered by the heaving of a snow- bank near them, that tossed and trembled as though an earthquake were working beneath it. This movement was followed by an upheaval of the whole mass, and the ap nce of the huge form of the buried giant, who tossed the heavy snow heap from bim as though it were so much swan’s down, Shaking himself till the snow fell around him in a miniature storm, and spurt- ing the fleecy bag from his mouth, he turned Teg a look ef withering scorn, and ejacu- ‘May I be eternally horsewhipped if taps ain’t just the meanest driver that ever handled reins! Why, if I had a boy six years old under my training. who couldn’t turn a corner better than that, I'd put him on dry bread and water for a month.” Will laughed at the blustering rage of his angry friend. ‘You taught me the lesson yourself,” he de- clared. ‘‘I have not forgotten the way you ek your bays down the slope to the Falls ridge. ‘*] didn’t do it in this style,” Pierce grimly responded. ‘Though I did make your hair stand on end. Anyhow, the chase is up for to- day. There go — horses, tearing away like mad down the hill, and it is a chance if we find a splinter of the sleigh when we catch them. It’s an infernal shame, when we had the dead wood so clear on those runaway rascals. We would have overhauled them in a half-hour more.” Will made no answer, but turned for a slow trudge down the hill in pursuit of the frighten- ed horses. It was a full hour before they were overtaken. They bad plunged down the road and over a bridge at its bottom, but had slack- ened their s on the steep ascent opposite, and had been stopped by an inhabitant of the small village at its summit. But the distance was nearly two miles from where they had been overturned, and it was a long, dreary trudge through the deep snow. They found the sleigh unharmed, it having righted itself ufter spilling out its occupants. But further pursuit was useless. The fugitives had far too great a start, and the road, which was now approaching the city, was too much cut up by vehicles for a single track to be any longer traced. Turning the horses they made their way in slow disappointment back to the Golden Lion. ‘* What luck?” asked old Sol, taking the long pipe from his mouth. ‘‘I don’t see you’re fetch- in’ back more nor you took out; four horses and one sleigh. Road too heavy, I s’pose.” “Yes; and the hills too confounded far from top to bottom,” ejaculated Pierce. ‘'There’s no use mincing matters, landlord. Our Jehu, Will Wildfire here, managed to upset the whole concern, and spilt the three of us into a fifty feet deep snow bank. There’s the whole story in short meter. Mix us another noggin of punch, landlord. Quick, hot and strong. I must have something to relieve my feelings.” His two friends followed, laughi 6, ip the bar-room, where Pierce flung himse heavily upon a seat, that cracked and groaned with his bir ‘*]T want to hear the whole of this business,” he remarked, when their potent draught was laced steaming before them. “ How came you interfere in the Wetherly and Darling wed- ding? And what was the object of these high- waymen?” ‘** That’s what is puzzling me,” followed Ben. “It was uo night for any ordinary bit of way- laying.” “Tt wasn’t that,” replied Will. ‘“‘ The fact i that Ihave been for some time on the track o this rascal. And he knew it, too. I caught an inkling that he was playing off Robert Wether- ca property on false ae. After a good eal of froubile I found out where Wetherly was residing, and telegraphed to Geneva for the truth. I received an answer, proving this man to be an impostor, but it was just three days on the road, thanks to your Atlantic telegraph. However, I had made little Lucy promise to wait for me till midnight, and I rode on here to the Golden Lion, to which the message was to be forwarded. I took to the road again as soon as it came in. But a lofty old ride it was, through that storm.” ‘“*He knew of your plans, and stationed that ambush to waylay you?” ‘*T fancy so.” ‘But why should he take so mueh trouble, a could afford to defy you at the wed- ing ‘*That’s a part of the business I don’t ouite | see through,” replied Will, sipping at his glass. \ e at ee ‘*T ean clear it up for you perhaps,” came sp-—. p for you partahs other voice, faintly familiar to a They all looked hastily around, and sew the: same ill-dressed bent figure, and scerred #aca,. which bad taken so prominent a part im the» events of the previous night. ‘You here?” exclaimed Will, with a stam: of surprise. ‘Robert Wetherly fancied you knew more than you did,” continued the speaker. ne Her- thought you were on the track of another émal~» ness, which you will excuse me tor ke pingg > secret. He simply laid bis ambush ier +i 4: : wrong person; but came very near getting iia right one, when that bullet plowed a grave across my cranium.” He removed his hat as he spoke, and reveeied. a red furrow through bis bair. ‘‘A devilish narrow escape,” remarked Wéli, looking curiously at the speaker. “I wid, never have suspected that you had so stem a thorn for this honest gentleman’s conscience. & would like consumedly to know what # aff means, but of course I do not want to pry uate your private business.” **’'You shall know in time. ri yet,” replied the mysterious strdmyer. “What I wish with you is to warn you .o begrm The effair ’ not. rome guard against him. You chollenged dumyer ast night, but I fear he will not give you they chance for a fair duel. from this man.” Beware of treacdlerg” ‘I don’t fear him,” replied Will teddy. ‘““And 1 am ready to weet him, with swosei or istol, pick-ax or knitting-ne. dle, any weespom he qnay select. If he wants satisfaction eut of Will Wildfire he will find him always ready, for any sort of attack, fair or foul ” ‘If we had but captured bis asscciaters er even found out who they were,” vcniured Bey Huntl y: “They? Oh, they are small fish... Ae fer. who they are I know them better then thresgp. - fancy. I bad my eye at the cracks of fimwid - hut last night, before I borrowed one of men: horses.” ‘*Good fer you!” cried Will, springirg ex citedly up, and grasping his strange fried ey the hand. ‘‘ Who are they? Put me om téér track, and I’)] promise to save vou from iuetiher~ trouble with some of them.” ** No, no,” replied the other, fixir with a cool expression on Will’s flushed seem, “Tt is not the time yet for you to know Wer. You are too hasty to deal with men like Haewe, Take my advice. Be on your guard Robert Wetherly. other foes.” He turned quickly and walked from the Poaqe, Bo ere’ . I will take care of wane . ~- In a minute more the tramp of a borse’s hewhe: was heard without, in the clear spa ce in trent. of the porch. The three friends remained aok> ing at each other in silent astonishment. CHAPTER VII. THE MEET AT THE ROSE TREF. It was the morning of the 4th of Fel.rwar There had been some warm weather ¢ nue whe date of the January storm just recorder, ond every trace of the snow bad disappeared, naive, some stray remnants in deep pockets of (le i aie hill-sides’) The weather was now cli at #4. ~ frosty, and the ground well hardened by iw breath of the wintry winds. On the porch o a beautiful cottage. i trex edge of the village of Dover, Will Wilcfire and Clara Moreland walked leisurely in the bright winter sunlight. their eyes met with a look of warm ofertien,. It would have been evident to even & Jeeang heir i s were clasped in each other as they walk+¢L aay observer that those two souls were li.ke@ neq. one by the ardent bonds of love. But their conversation was, justnow, Dy ema such subject. They had much more pweusrtacal objects in view. ‘The meet will take place thenon Montay Pr" she eagerly asked, her eyes sparkling with svi. mation. “Yes: at the Rose Tree Inn. The htii-tsynan- has found the lair of that cunning oi ax, which so cleverly threw the hounds at the sas hunt. Weintend to give the shrewd raee g sharp dash for it, if the ground is in comwérom forarun. He will have to be wide awake » te saves his brush.” ‘*And are there any ladies entered?” she ar gerly queried. ‘Several, I believe. I hear mention of Bire- : Jobnson, and of that dashing rider, Miss Meret - Morton.” “Then I am going to join the chese,” enthnet- astically. ‘‘IT have not had a good ride saa that steeple-chase la-t autmmp: and FP tise * | = = <comicboo cS 45 corr